Judge Halts U.S. Plan to End Family Reunification Parole Programs

A federal judge has temporarily stopped the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from ending a key immigration program. The decision is a setback for the government's plan. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued the order on Monday. She blocked the termination of the Family Reunification Parole (FRP) programs for certain countries. The programs allow some family members of U.S. citizens and lawful residents to enter the country legally while they wait for their visas. This process is known as "parole." Judge Talwani ruled that the DHS likely failed to follow required legal steps. The law mandates a public notice and comment period before such programs can be canceled. The judge found the government did not provide a sufficient reason for skipping this process. The ruling applies to FRP programs for families from Cuba, Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. These programs will continue while the legal case proceeds. The Department of Homeland Security has not yet commented on the ruling. The case is seen as an important test of the government's power to change immigration policy.